Pearson city clerk joins former mayor as defendant in corruption probe
By T.S. Carter |
PEARSON, Atkinson County, Ga. – A multi-month Georgia Bureau of Investigation criminal probe of Pearson City Hall has had its second arrest with the charging Sept. 8 of city clerk Patrica Ballard on a host of felony counts.
Ballard’s arrest follows the early February arrest of former mayor Robert “Buster” Johnson on a lengthy list of felony charges. He has been free since March on $76,000 bond and wears an ankle monitor.
Patricia Ballard
Here are the felony charges against Ballard, age 67, of Pearson:
- Conspiracy to Commit a Crime;
- Conspiracy to Defraud State or Political Subdivision;
- Theft by Taking;
- Offenses Involving Public Records, Documents, and Other Items;
- Violation of Oath by a Public Officer;
- False Statements and Writings;
Ballard was taken into custody without incident at Pearson City Hall. She was booked into the Atkinson County Jail.
The investigation that led to the arrests of Johnson and Ballard followed a request from the Alapaha Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office to investigate fraudulent activity within the Pearson city government.
This investigation is active and ongoing. More arrests are expected.
Robert “Buster” Johnson
Johnson resigned as Pearson Mayor on September 8. 
Here are the charges against Johnson age 49, of Pearson:
- Criminal Attempt to Commit Hindering or Apprehension or Punishment of CriminalActivity;
- 3 counts of Influencing Witnesses;
- Criminal Solicitation to Commit False Statements and Writings;
- Criminal Solicitation to Commit False Official Certificates or Writings by Officers or Employees of a State and Political Subdivision;
- 2 counts of False Statements and Writings;
- Criminal Attempt to Commit Theft by Taking;
- Conspiracy in Restraint of Free and Open Competition;
- 4 counts of Conspiracy to Defraud State and Political Subdivision;
- Theft by Deception;
- 3 counts of Bribery;
- 2 counts of Theft by Taking;
- Fraud, Forgery, and Theft in Connection with Registration of Title to Land;
- Filing False Documents;
- 4 counts of Violation of Oath of Office by Public Officer.
The investigation began when the Alapaha Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office received complaints of Mayor Johnson participating in fraudulent activities. the GBI said. “The District Attorney subsequently requested the GBI to look into these allegations,” the agency said.
During the investigation, agents uncovered a scheme to have an incarcerated person released from jail through fraudulent documentation, obtaining kickbacks from city contracts, theft of municipal land, and bribery of city employees.
In an arrest unrelated to the GBI investigation, Atkinson County Sheriff’s deputies on June 2 arrested Jeren Lemarcus Fullmore, a former assistant Pearson police chief who was Pearson mayor pro-tem when taken into custody.
Fullmore, recently terminated by the Pearson police, was shown on a surv a surveillance tape swiping a document from his personnel file inside the Pearson Police Station. Authorities say Fullmore entered through a semi-secured side door.
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